The New International Encyclopædia/Mining Claim

MINING CLAIM. The claim of a person to the exclusive right to work land in which he supposes he has discovered deposits of a precious metal; hence, the parcel of land supposed to contain the metallic deposits. The term is specifically used to designate the area of such metalliferous land which may be held under one location under the statutes of the United States, in which case the claim and location are identical if there is but one location; but if the miner acquires two or more locations the claim is usually used to designate the whole tract of land.

A mining claim is real estate, and descends to the heir, and is subject to taxation, execution, etc., as is any other real estate, and may also, in like manner, be protected by the action of ejectment. See Mines and Mining.